Learning to Pray From a Victorious Perspective

IT IS FINISHED!

There are seven statements of Jesus on the cross. Perhaps the most important one of all is when He declared, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). Nothing else needed to be done because He had done it all. The work of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ is perfectly complete!

I am convinced that we need this revelation to be able to pray effective prayers that avail much. We must learn to pray from this posture—from this perspective. We are not defeated. He has already won the battle and as authentic disciples of Jesus we are called to enforce the victory of Calvary. Declaring or proclaiming what He has already accomplished is the eventual position we must come to in releasing prayers that strike the mark!

THE POWER OF PROCLAMATION

A clear word from the Holy Spirit came to me one morning stating, “It is time to make a worldwide impact by calling forth the watchmen to the prophetic power of proclamation.” That word rattled my mindset and shifted my prayer posture.

Definition of Proclamation

The meaning is to proclaim, announce, declare, ascribe, call out, cry, invite, preach, pronounce, publish, read and herald.

Primary Scripture Verses on Proclamation

Deuteronomy 32:3-4—”I will proclaim the name of the Lord. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.

Isaiah 61:1-3—”The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.”

Job 22:21-28—”Yield now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you. 

Please receive instruction from His mouth, and establish His words in your mouth. If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored; if you remove unrighteousness far from your tent, and place your gold in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brocks, then the Almighty will be your gold and choice silver to you.

For, then you will delight in the Almighty, and lift up your face to God. You will pray to Him, and He will hear you; and you will pay your vows. You will decree a thing, and it will be established for you; and light will shine on your ways.”

The counsel given to Job shows a pattern in God’s progressive purposes:

• Confession of sin—Removing obstacles that are in the way
• Establishing the Word of God in your heart (vs. 22)
• Having a heart of submission
• Receiving instruction
• Repentance and returning to the Lord
• Revelation that God is to be your all (vs. 24)
• Removing, cleansing any other gods before you
• Then God will your delight (vs. 26)
• And then to pray to Him
• What you decree (proclaim) shall come to pass (vs. 28)

The Proclamation of Praise—One of the Highest Weapons of Spiritual Warfare

Praise: The Place of God’s Residence

Psalms 22:3—Praise sanctifies the atmosphere around us. Why? Because God is enthroned on the praises of Israel. When God is lifted up and highly exalted a throne is established in the heavenly places over that particular delegated sphere of authority; blessing is released from heaven and pours into the earth realm. He then extends His Kingdom rule in the midst of His people.

Praise: The Way into His Presence

Psalms 100:4—”Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name” (also Isa. 60:18).

Praise establishes a highway that releases the visitation of His presence. Praise is a form of proclamation that is built from God’s throne to you. The purpose of praise is to release God’s blessing upon us as we praise the Lord. As we glorify Him, He turns it back upon us in blessing. 

Praise: A Garment of the Spirit

Isaiah 61:3—”To grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting, so they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. Through the exchange of the cross, God gives us garments of praise for the garments of heaviness. He exchanges the dark, the gloomy, and the negative, for that which is beautiful, glorious, and uplifting.”

Praise is a mantle or type of clothing we put on. We cast off heaviness by entering into the sacrifice of praise. You will look different, act differently and talk differently when you put on the garment of praise! 

Praise: A Weapon of Spiritual War

Ps 50:23—”He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; and to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God.”

Praise is a spiritual warfare weapon, a means of deliverance from the strongholds of darkness. Some times you simply need to praise your way out of the entrapment of the enemy by releasing the High Praises of God from your heart vocally. Store the Word of God up in your heart so that a naturally supernatural overflow results!

We proclaim the favorable year of the Lord has come! We thank Him for what He has done and we praise Him for who He is. We declare that the work of the cross is perfect and complete. We pronounce that something good is just about to happen. Darkness does not have the final say! Jesus has already overcome. We establish a throne over our lives, families and the spheres of authority within which He has given us delegated rule.

We do not pray towards victory! We must pray, praise and proclaim from the position of victory. This is a radical shift that must come to the Global Prayer Movement. We must learn to pray from a victorious mindset!

A Personal Prayer of Consecration WITH PROCLAMATION 

Cleanse Ourselves with the Blood of Jesus

Father, we cleanse our Hands with the Blood of Jesus.

We apply the Blood of Jesus to our eyes, Lord, so that we might see into the spirit realm with clarity.

We apply the Blood of Jesus to our ears, to cleanse them from any defilement, wickedness, garbage, gossip, or slander that has been poured into them so that we might hear clearly what You are speaking to us.

We apply the Blood of Jesus to our lips and to our tongue, so that You would cleanse us of all the things we have spoken that really have not been of You at all.

Father, we apply the Blood of Jesus to our hearts and our minds. Father, we ask You to put the Blood of Jesus on our hearts, our thoughts, and our emotions and to cleanse our minds from dead works so that we might serve the living God.

Father, we apply the Blood of Jesus to our feet. Cleanse us from the corruption in this world and from the dust of the world. Father, cleanse us of the places in which we’ve walked that really haven’t been ordered by You.

Lord, we receive the words of the Bible that say the steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord. We will have holy steps walking on the Highway of Holiness. We praise You, Lord, and we ask that You cleanse us from the tops of our heads to the souls of our feet. Thank You, Lord. Amen.

Declare a Proclamation of Blessing

• A proclamation from the leaders to the people – Numbers 6:24-26
• A proclamation from the people to the leaders – Ephesians 6:10-18
• A proclamation over your family – Joshua 24:15
• A proclamation over your city– Psalms 24:1-2; Isaiah 25:3
• A proclamation over Israel – Jeremiah 16:14; 30:3 

Let’s Hit the Mark and Release His Glory on Earth

Let’s add this tool to our tool belt as we learn more lessons from the Holy Spirit on Praying from a Victorious Mindset. Let’s rise up in faith and declare what Jesus has already accomplished on the cross.

Declare that there is no lack in heaven and call forth “heaven on earth.” After all, it is the model that Jesus Christ gave to His disciples on how to pray. “Your Kingdom Come! Your Will be done! On Earth as it is in Heaven!”

Yes, in Earthen Vessels as it is in Heaven. Right Here! Right Now! Amen and Amen!

James W. Goll leads Encounters Network in Tennessee. Jim has traveled around the world teaching about intercession, prophetic ministry and life in the Spirit. He is also the author of several books, including The Lost Art of Intercession and Kneeling on the Promises. For more information, visit encountersnetwork.com.

For the original article, visit prayerstorm.com.